Lighting fixture hanger



Dec. 8, 1959 l. woLAR LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9, 1955 INVENTOR .fs/.Doei Wan@ ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1959 Filed Feb. 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 ii 4f 1v" i ii lclll. x

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INVENTOR .f5/Dop; W04 Aw ATTORNEY United States Patent O LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGER Isidore Wolar, Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Application February 9, 195'5, Serial No. 487,*158

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-327) The present invention relates to lighting fixture hangers.

Single unit fluorescent lighting fixtures suspended below the ceiling commonly have two stems spaced some distance apart and secured to the canopy and fixture body or wiring channel. These stems support the fixture in proper orientation at the desired mounting height. Continuous rows of such xtures usually have more widely spaced hangers. To have the individual units or the long rows hang properly, it is desirable to be able to adjust the lengths of the hangers. It is often necessary to do this after the Wiring has been completed.

The present invention contemplates lighting xture hangers wherein it is possible to hang the fixtures and effect vertical adjustment without interfering with the wiring or entering either the canopy or xture.

According to the present invention the wiring passes down through a tube which is supported for turning about its vertical axis and is threadably related to the fixture body to raise or lower the latter.

The accompanying'drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, together with modifications of certain parts, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hanging lighting fixture;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of the lighting fixture hanger;

Figure 3 is an assembly view of the hanger with parts in section;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an alternative mode of Iassembly of the components of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of an alternate upper, stem carried tting;

Figure 6 is a sectional view with parts in elevation, showing the fitting of Figure 5 in use;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of another alternate form of iitting;

Figure 8 is a sectional view, with parts in section showing the tting of Figure 7 in use; and

Figures 9 and l0 are perspective and sectional views of another form of construction.

In Figures 1 and 3 a conventional lighting fixture body, such as the wiring trough and reflector of a lluorescent lighting unit is generally indicated at 10, and the canopy at 11. The canopy extends up to the ceiling line CL and is supported in any suitable manner. A conventional outlet box 12 supports hooks 13 from which the fixture is hung (as shown, for example, in my Patent No. 2,687 867. One hook only is shown here. From these hooks depend the hangers generally indicated at 15, 15.

A fitting with hook receiving hole 21 in its upper portion 22 and a hole 23 in its horizontal portion 24 is secured to a fitting 25. 'Ihis iitting 25 has a downwardly facing shoulder 26 which bears on the upper face of the ICC ' 2 horizontal portion 24 and an annular groove 27 which receives a contractile spring 29. The spring and shoulder form a bearing so that the fitting 25 can revolve freely in the hole 23. The fitting 25 is counter bored and threaded, as indicated at 30.

The top of the fixture body 10 is adapted to be secured by bolts 31 to a fitting 32 threaded at 32. This fitting 32 may have various shapes, but its threaded hole should be far enough above the bottom of the wireway to permit the desired adjustment without exposing the wiring to possible injury.

The fitting 32 receives the pipe or tube 33 having a running thread at its lower end. After the tting 32 has been threaded onto the pipe, suitable means are provided to prevent unintentional separation of these parts. Here a threaded bushing 34 is employed, and a jamb screw 35 prevents unthreading of this bushing.

To complete the assembly, ,a thread cover 36 is slipped on the tube and the `upperthreaded end 37 of the tube 33 is threaded into the upper fitting 25 and the jamb screw 25 tightened. The fixture wiring W may then be com pleted. To adjust the height ofthe fixture it is merely necessary for one to turn the pipe or tube 33 so as to thread it in or out of the lower fitting. There is no possibility of injuring the wiring or accidentally disconnecting the fixture.

The construction fragmentarily shown in Figure 4 uses the same parts and operates the same way. The upper fitting 25 is upside down and the weight of the fixture is taken by the spring 29. insteadsof the flange shoulder 26.

The arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 7 employs a bent strap type hickey 40 with a threaded hole 41 on the upper leg to t a nipple or stud 42, and a smooth hole 43 in the lower leg to'aec'ommodate the fitting 25.

The arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 utilizes a cross strap 45 adapted to be secured to the outlet box 12 and having a hole 46 to receive the fitting 25.

The arrangement shown in Figures 9 and 10 utilizes a fitting 50, similar to the fittings 20 and 40, but slotted as indicated at 51, instead of provided with a hole. The stem carrying fitting 52 is undercut as indicated at 53 and passed into the slot 51, after which the ends of the prongs forming the slot are punched toward one another so that the fitting 52 cannot be removed.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of these forms, and, various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

I1. A vertically adjustable hanger lfor a pendant nonrotatable lighting fixture body comprising a lower fitting adapted to be non-rotatably secured to a lighting fixture body and having a vertical threaded opening, a vertical tubular stem through which fixture wires are adapted to pass, the stem having at its lower end a running thread which enters the threaded opening in the tting whereby the fitting becomes a lower, stem-carried tting, the stem carrying a stop to prevent the unintentional separation of the said threaded parts, an upper, stem-carried iitting having an upper, downwardly facing shoulder and a lower, upwardly vfacing shoulder, a ceiling supported tting held against rotation about a 'vertical axis and having an aperture in which the portion of the upper itting between the shoulders is rotatably received, said shoulders on the upper fitting holding the latter against vertical movement whereby, by turning the stem about its axis, vari-ation of the vertical distance between the stem-carried fittings and of the mounting height of the xture body may be had without affecting the fixture wires, said upper -tting being in the form of a threaded bushing having external portions of different diameters separated by a fiat shoulder and provided with anexternal annular groove in the smaller diameter portion therof, and a contractile spring in the groove.

2. A vertically adjustable hanger for a'pendant nonrotatable lighting fixture body comprising a lower fitting adapted to be non-rotatablyl secured to a lighting fixture body and having a vertical threaded opening, a vertical tubular stern through which fixture wires are adapted to pass, the stem having at its lower end a running thread which enters the threaded opening in the fitting whereby the fitting becomes a lower, stem-carried fitting, the stem carrying a stop to prevent the unintentional separation of the said threaded parts, an upper, stem-carried ,fitting having an upper, downwardly facing shoulder and a lower, upwardly facing shoulder, a ceiling supported fitting held against rotation about a vertical axis and having an aperture in which the portion of the upper fitting between the shoulders is rotatably received, said shoulders on the upper fitting holding the latter against vertical movement whereby, by turning the stern about its axis, variation of the vertical distance between the stem-carried fittings and of the mounting height of the xture body may be had without affecting the fixture wires, said ceiling supported fixture being in the form of a sheet metal stamping with a horizontal portion having the said aperture for receiving the upper fitting and an obliquely upwardly extending portion having a hook receiving aperture whereby the stem may hang vertically downward vfrom a hook.

3. A subassembly for the support o f a lighting fixture stern having an externally threaded upper end, said subassembly comprising a fitting having internal threads to fit the stem, an internal shoulder to abut the end of the stem, external portions of large diameter and small diameter separated by a reducing shoulder, and an annular groove in the .small diameter portion and spaced from the shoulder, a contractable spring partially received in the groove, and a second stem-supported fitting rotatably carried by said fitting between the shoulder and the spring.

4. An assembly for use in supporting lighting fixtures and carrying wiring to the fixture comprising a relatively long, normally vertical tube having external threads at at least the end portions thereof, a ceiling supported member having a horizontal apertured portion, an internally threaded collar rotatably disposed within the aperture of said ceiling supported member, one end of said stem being threadably engaged with said collar, means for locking said stem to said collar, a fitting adapted to be secured to the body of a lighting fixture to be supported, said fitting having an internally threaded aperture extending therethrough and threadably engaging the lower threaded end portion of said stem, means on the end of said stern in engagement with the last said fitting for preventing accidental disengagement of the stem and fitting and a tubular shield surrounding at least part of said stem and movable lengthwise thereof, said shield being movable downwardly to rest upon said lower fitting to cover threads on the lower end of said stem that may extend above the last said fitting.

References Cited in the file of this lpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,778,576 Walker Oct. 14, 1930 1,825,920 Popp Oct. 6, 1931 1,843,201 Buchanan Feb. 2, 1932 1,901,235 Glowack Mar. 14, 1933 2,446,736 Biller Aug. 10, 1948 2,456,355 Aber Dec. 14, 1948 2,559,641 Kruger July 10, 1951 2,687,867 Wolar Aug, 31, 1954 2,762,598 Runge Sept. 1l, 1956 

